Friends and Foes
by GorimJr
Summary: An assassin attacks Luxa, only to be captured. However, with him comes the unfolding of a deadly plan, rife with treason, torture, and hostages. Set 15 years after CoC. WARNING: Some rather disturbing torture will be in it. Rated T to be safe.
1. Chapter 1

**This idea came into my head awhile ago. **

A man walked up to the Regalian Palace with a job. And not one he asked for, nor wanted.

If he completed it, he would regret it for the rest of his life. But the one person he loved would be safe.

He thought back, over the hundreds of thousands of dreadful days that molded him into this thing, this stone that stood at the great, stone doors. This man wasn't him. "He" had died years ago, broken in the dark.

He ran his trembling hand through his long, messy hair. After years of torture and pain, his hair was now a deep gray, blending him in with the people around him. He let his bangs fall in front of his eyes as he walked up the stairs, his hands on his sword. He reached out with one hand, pressing it lightly against the stone. He had no flier to carry him to his destination. He would have to walk.

For a second, he allowed himself to lean against the stone, his forehead resting against the its coolness. He swallowed, and pushed the door open, placing his hands on the swords at his sides. With grim determination, he walked forward.

--

Luxa had been preparing for her position of Queen for years; decades even. She vividly remembered her coronation at sixteen, when she was confident and not at all afraid. And since then, she'd learned so many things. Now, thirteen years later, she wasn't even close to being prepared for what could very well be playing out before her.

Treason.

She had been in the war room, talking with the General, Stellovet, and her other army personnel, among many ambassadors from many places. Flier, rat, the Fount. She hadn't really noticed the man even walk in until his footsteps echoed ominously on the stone floor.

The man had walked purposefully into the room. He wasn't that familiar, though there was something that seemed to shadow a vague memory. The way he walked, perhaps, or something of that nature.

But, visually, nothing rang a bell. His hair was long, gray, and it hung in his face, obscuring his eyes. One side of his face was hideously disfigured by three deep rut-like scars, obviously given to him by a Gnawer. He wore a simple gray smock of a scullion, and no shoes. He could have passed for a simple servant in the palace. (Come to think of it, what if he had? How long could he have been here, under their noses?)

Except for that the gray smock was speckled with blood. And the twin blades at his sides dripped droplets on the floor as he walked into the room. Blood also dripped from his face, which seemed blank.

No one spoke for a moment. No one could.

Then the guards sprang into action, running for him in a group of five.

They didn't even get close.

One moment they were running for him, the next, they all fell. Horrific, crippling wounds on their legs and arms spilled more blood on the white floor, staining the white red. He looked at the writhing men blankly for a second, then looked up, waiting for more.

This time, at least a dozen guards leapt at him. In addition, a few lords also drew their swords and made an attempt. Again, no one came close. They all fell with crippling wounds.

Luxa stood, her face pale. She felt Ares and Aurora draw closer to her, silently offering their support. She drew her sword wordlessly.

"I," the assassin spoke, his voice deep and quiet. "Have no personal grudge against you, Queen. Quite the opposite in fact. I apologize for what I must do." He raised his sword and made ready to attack.

A blur of fur and claw rushed past Luxa and attacked the assassin, who barely managed to block the attack. The man leapt back, his stance defensive.

Ripred, graying with age and tiredness of the world, crouched a few feet away from the man, eying him silently.

"You're familiar, boy." The old rat said, his voice rasping over the moans of the many men. "Do I know you from somewhere?"

The assassin simply raised his swords, ready for battle. Ripred shrugged, and attacked.

Luxa had never in her life seen a battle so fascinating. Both sides moved with a deadly grace; claw smacked dully against steel. Neither let the other have even an inch, both waiting patiently for an opening.

Suddenly, the assassin twisted his body and sunk the blade into Ripred's shoulder. The rat hissed and sliced at the mans arm, making a deep cut on his wrist.

The man cried out, and leapt back, clutching his hand tightly at his chest, staining the cloth.

"I'm old, but I'm not that old." Ripred snapped. "Though, that was rather impressive, boy." The assassin surveyed the old rat, then nodded mutely. Ripred crouched again, ready for more fighting.

"I do not wish to fight you, King Ripred." The assassin said softly.

"Too bad," Ripred said simply. "You want to kill Luxa? You're going to have to go through me." The assassin stared at the rat for a moment, then shrugged.

"As you wish."

The man jumped at the rat with a horrific speed, and sliced Ripred's belly open. Ripred's eyes widened in shock. There was a collective gasp.

The man's face twisted into something like regret.

"I will be done quickly." He said softly. "Then you can get help."

"Screw you." Ripred snarled. The assassin shrugged, then ran for Luxa again, now less than a meter away.

Ares jumped in front of her, his wings stretched out protectively.

"No!" Luxa shrieked, tears filling her eyes. But the clang of metal against stone snapped her out of grief. Ares faltered, lowering his wings slightly. Luxa could see the assassin now; one of his swords was broken, now no longer than a dagger in his hand. He was tense, trembling.

"Out of my way!" He snapped. His voice was strangled with something like panic.

"No." Ares said quietly, but he sounded thoughtful, as though he saw something familiar in the assassin.

"Now!" The man snapped, stomping his foot childishly. Ares shook his head mutely. The man bit his lip.

Ripred, who had been kneeling silently, suddenly jumped up and sliced at the assassins back. The man fell with a scream of agony, his blood pouring out of the wound on his back. He fell to his knees, his face twisted in pain.

Luxa walked over to him, her sword ready. Then she faltered, blinking in shock.

The man was crying. He swallowed, then looked up her, his face desperate, his eyes still obscured.

"Please, Your Highness," he pleaded softly. "Please kill me."

**1. Not everything has been made clear yet. I meant to do that. Things will be revealed over the course of this story. **

**2. Yes, Ares is alive. He has to be for a few reasons. A. I love him a lot, and I tend to disregard deaths that I don't like. And B. He's got a lot to do with the story line later.**

**3. Ripred wasn't easy to beat. He and the assassin fought for awhile. But Ripred's old, and the assassin is very good at what he does; specially trained to be able to defeat things bigger than him. Ripred lives. I assure you.**


	2. Chapter 2

**LOOOOOOONG**

**Seraphina: Yeah... I might kill him off. **

**Ares: ?! Huh!?**

**Damn. You weren't supposed to hear that. Anyway, thank you very much. I tried a new style of writing, it's very much like Jim Butcher. At least, I tried to kind of write like that. **

**ILikeAres: Thank you. looks What grammar things?**

Ares had told himself he wouldn't go to the dungeon.

And yet, there he was, shuffling down the spiral stairs to them, alongside Luxa, Stellovet, the Fount Ambassador Kord, and Ripred.

After the assassination attempt, the man responsible was dragged down to the dungeon with no medical care, in preparation for a round of torture. In Ares opinion, it didn't look like it was needed. The man looked broken, like the moment Ares himself had jumped in front of him, he'd given up.

There was also something hauntingly familiar about him. The flier couldn't place it. Something about the way he fought, perhaps. He was undoubtedly a Rager. But still, it was more than that. Seeing the man summoned old, painful memories that Ares had determinedly kept buried. Memories of the day Gregor disappeared, among other things.

"Do we know who he is, Stellovet?" Luxa asked quietly. The woman was surprisingly calm, considering her life very nearly ended yesterday. She looked up at Stellovet, who rather towered over her, physically.

The general shrugged, her red nails glinting in the dim light of the torches.

"No, actually. He has not said anything." The tall woman tossed her hair coolly over her shoulder.

"Then you must not be doing enough." Kord said harshly, though Ares could have sworn he'd seen a glint of disgusting amusement in his eyes. Stellovet appeared to have seen the same thing, and glared at the greasy man.

"I assure you, he is in much pain. There must be some reason he will not speak." She trailed off, thinking about it for a few seconds. Luxa spoke up.

"Perhaps there is a hostage?"

Kord snorted derisively. "Or maybe he is just a crazy man who walked in. It does not have to be so complicated."

"What, will your brain unravel?" Stellovet muttered under her breath. Luxa grinned at her, but Kord ignored her.

The guard in front of them stopped in front of the large stone door at the end of the hallway. Expressionless, he opened it. Stellovet and Luxa entered first, with Ripred and Kord close behind. Ares entered last.

When his eyes fell on the assassin, his stomach dropped.

He had not been treated kindly.

Ares stood beside Luxa for a moment. The assassin had been chained to the ceiling, the cuffs cutting into his wrists. He was very pale, and though Ares couldn't see the man's back, he could tell by the way he looked that it was probably infected. His feet barely touched the ground, and with the way it was going, it looked like it was only a matter of days, or even hours, before he wouldn't be able to hold his weight, and his shoulders would be dislocated.

His head was bowed, his hair again falling in front of his eyes. His breath came out as a rasp, lined with soft sobs of basic pain and fear.

This man wasn't a threat to anyone. He was doomed, and he knew it. Inside of his head, Ares cried out to the mans plight, but he pushed thoughts of compassion aside. After all, this man had tried to kill Luxa, one of his few friends.

Despite that, looking at him made Ares feel sick.

Luxa walked up to him. Standing a foot away, she said, "Look at me."

The man looked up slightly. Ares saw his eyes glint in the torchlight, but his eyes were still obscured.

"If you give me the information I need, I can see to it that your back is taken care of. And I can supply you a cot." The man said nothing. "You will still be tried, and undoubtedly sentenced, but your last days need not be uncomfortable." Still, the assassin said nothing. Luxa sighed. "One way or another, man, I shall get my information."

"Either kill me," the assassin said softly, his voice a quiet rasp. "Or leave."

Luxa frowned. "Dozens of good men and women are in the hospital right now. Crippled, or otherwise." The assassin said nothing. "If you tell me what you know, I could stop them. To kill me would mean rebellion, possibly civil war. Death no matter what. If you tell me, then we can stop it. Also," she gave him an almost pleading look. "I could have reason to suspend your execution. Your life would not be pleasant, but you would live."

The assassin shook his head, a motion of great distress. "I cannot help you, Queen."

"You must!" Luxa said.

"I _cannot_." He insisted quietly.

"You will." The Queen said softly. The man shook his head again, more forcefully.

"I _**cannot**_! Do you not see?" He sounded desperate. Luxa shook her head.

"I have not tortured anyone before." She said. "I know the concept. So, either I leave and come back with a doctor, or a knife. Your choice."

The assassin was quiet for a second, then said, "If you heat the knife, you have less chance of making a mistake. The wound sears shut. Plus, it will cause much more pain, with less damage." He lowered his head again. "Go get your knife, Queen." Ares gulped, and shared a troubled look with Stellovet.

"Luxa, can I talk to you for a second?" Ripred said softly. Luxa went over to him, and Ripred gestured for the others to come over too.

"Well, that settles it." Kord said with finality. "He is insane. He obviously can give us no information." Ares stared at the man. Was he really that stupid?

Ripred seemed to have similar thoughts on Kord, judging by his look of disgust. Stellovet shook her head.

"No. I do not agree. I believe there is something more." The general said, casting a glance at the man hanging from the ceiling.

There was a soft knock at the door, and a young man, whispered loudly, "Ambassador? You are needed in the ballroom." Kord sighed.

"I shall return soon." And he stomped off up the stairs.

"Take your time." Ares snarled through gritted teeth. The assassin snickered sardonically. Stellovet sighed.

"Good. Now I can speak freely." Ripred, Ares and Luxa all looked expectantly at her, and Ares noticed out of the corner of his eye that the assassin also came to attention, listening closely.

"I do not believe that this man is crazy. I believe there is something more. Now, Cousin." She turned to Luxa. "Assume that whoever sent this man, whoever he or she is, does not trust him as far as he can kick him." Luxa's eyebrow arched, but she nodded. "What, in your mind, would assure complete cooperation?" Luxa frowned, but Ares felt realization dawn on him.

"There could be a hostage." He said softly. He glanced at the assassin again. The man had gone completely stiff.

"Precisely. Now, judging from his looks, I'd say he is about the same age as you, Cousin. I doubt it is a wife. So there must be someone else he is willing to die for; to endure torture to save. Perhaps…?" She trailed off.

"A child." Luxa hissed. "A sibling or someone of that nature." Stellovet nodded somberly. Ares looked over at the assassin again with new thoughts, and saw that the man was trembling.

"Now, if I may say what I was going to say." Ripred muttered. Luxa and Stellovet looked over at him, but Ares still stared at the assassin. What was so familiar about him?

"Luxa, if you would, please, look at our assassin in the eyes." Luxa blinked, but nodded and went over to the assassin. She stood very close to him, reached up, and brushed the hair from in front of his face. Her face went very, very pale as her eyes locked with his.

Ares stared in a state of shock at the mans eyes. They were dark. A dark, chocolate-y brown.

"Gregor?" Stellovet whispered.

Luxa's lips trembled. "Gregor?" She whispered. He look adverted his eyes, a look of shame on his face. "Gregor… who sent you?"

"I cannot tell you." He said softly. "I…. If I die… he might just cast her out! If I tell you…" He sobbed helplessly in frustration. "I'm sorry, Luxa. I can't."

Luxa swallowed. Then she reached up and touched his face gently, cupping his cheek. "I will help you, Gregor."

"You can't help." He muttered bitterly.

"I can." She insisted softly. "I can help you save Boots."

Gregor looked at her sharply, tears filling his eyes. "Y-you would?" He asked. "Y-you wouldn't lie to me. You'll… you will…" Luxa smiled softly.

"Yes. Please, Gregor. Just tell me who has her, and I will help you." Gregor swallowed.

"Kord." He said softly. "He has her. I promise." Luxa nodded.

"And he sent you?" Gregor nodded. Luxa sighed. "Stellovet," she said. "Release him. And send for Howard." Stellovet nodded, and took out the keys. Ares quickly fluttered over to Gregor, filled with sorrow and shock. After Stellovet unlocked the chains, Gregor stumbled. Ares wrapped his wings around his bond, his stomach feeling empty.

Gregor tensed for a moment, then gave up, relaxing with a sob. Luxa kneeled, her face close to his.

"I promise, we will help. Rest now, Gregor. All will be well."

--

Gregor lay in Ares' wings, exhausted. He barely heard Luxa speak, and barely heard when Howard came in. There was some conversation between Howard and Luxa, but Gregor couldn't focus on it. Then Howard cried out and wrapped his arms around him. Gregor would have returned it, but he was too tired. So, so tired.

They fussed over him and it felt nice.

It'd been awhile since someone cared, other than Boots. Almost 20 years.

Boots. He had to save her. He couldn't just go to sleep at a time like this.

Yet even as he thought that, sleep overcame him.

**Poor Gregor.**


	3. Chapter 3

**I'm afraid this one isn't as good as the last two. (sigh) To my two reviewers, thank you for your input. (looks at grammar mistakes) Well... It's not as bad as the noobs fanfics. They forget to use the damn spacebar.  
**

_"Ares? Ares, don't go okay? Don't." _

_Gregor lay on his stomach, blood pumping out of his chest with each beat of his heart. Ares lay a few feet away, barely within reach. Gregor reached weakly over and took hold of his bonds claw. _

_The flier was barely hanging on, which was a miracle in and of itself. But as things slid in and out of focus, Gregor realized he probably wouldn't be so lucky. _

_Footsteps echoed through the cavern. Gregor heard himself choke out for whoever it was to help Ares, before slipping into unconsciousness._

_--_

_Years later, Gregor sat in a room, a dungeon very much like the one Solovet had shoved him into. Only he'd learned long before then that there would be no Nerissa to come save him. _

_His right arm throbbed dully. His shoulder was probably dislocated, and there was definitely a break somewhere. _

_He tilted his head back, taking measured breaths. Thinking about it doesn't help. Because no matter what he did, he eventually started thinking about Ares. And Luxa. Howard and Nike. Vikus and his parents. He was even curious about Stellovet; he'd overheard her name and wondered why._

_He had no way to tell the passage of time, except for how many times he'd seen Boots. Odianna, Kord's wife, told him that they let him see her two times a year. He'd seen her about six times._

_Three years, then. He'd be about fifteen or fourteen. Luxa would be too. Howard's probably in his twenties, Stellovet a little younger._

_Boots is seven._

_Gregor reached up with his good arm and held his head in his hand. Three years, gone. It hurt to think about it._

_The door opened with a creak, and Odianna walked in. She was very tall, with dead straight hair cut unevenly at the nape of her neck, and expensive clothing and jewelery. Gregor swallowed._

_"Hello, Gregor dear." Odianna said sweetly. "After this, you can see Margaret, if you so desire."_

_Heavens knew he wanted to see her. That's the only reason he didn't just end it. _

_He gingerly got up, careful not to make his arm hurt more than it already did, and walked over to the door._

_--_

"How long must he stay in bed, Howard?" Luxa's soft voice woke him, but he didn't stir, or open his eyes. Instead, he realized with a thrill of shock that Luxa's voice woke him up. Not Odianna's silky voice, or Kord's rough, gravely voice. Luxa's angelic one.

Gregor focused on his other senses. He was in a bed, probably for the first time in years. He was warm, and comfortable. His back didn't hurt. In fact, nothing really hurt. That was new too.

He opened his eyes slowly. He found himself in a large room, surrounded by old, familiar faces. Ripred, Luxa, Ares, Howard. He was in a bedroom, and by the looks of the furniture, probably in Luxa's royal apartment..

Everybody looked very different. He must have too, of course, but everyone looked… older. He hadn't really noticed before.

Ripred's mud-gray coat was now a light gray with age, and he sported a lot more scars. There was a long, horizontal wound on his belly that had been sewn up. Gregor realized with a wince that he'd done that.

Ares was also graying with age, though not as much as Ripred. He had a very unpleasant scar on his neck. A remnant of the battle with the Bane.

Luxa had also grown, in more…. Obvious ways that Gregor couldn't help but notice. She'd let her hair grow out again, and she wore a long, rich blue dress. The same old gold circlet glinted on her head.

Howard was taller, and his face was handsome, if weathered. He wore normal doctor clothes, and all in all, looked about the same, if older.

Gregor closed his eyes again, wondering if he should feel obligated to wake up. His thoughts drifted again.

Luxa had gotten older. Boots had too. They're both really pretty, actually. Boots…

Gregor's eyes shot open, and he sat up. Much too quickly. He winced in pain as a hot sting shot up his back.

Howard rushed over and pressed him back down against the bed.

"Careful, Gregor. You are still recovering from your infection. If you move too quickly, you will break your stitches." Howard said gently. Gregor nodded stiffly.

"Gregor, I know that you must wish to go to Boots immediately, but it will be another day or so before you will be well enough to get up." Luxa said. "In addition, we must know more about the situation." Gregor nodded reluctantly.

"How long have I been out?" He asked.

"About three days," Ares said promptly. "And you will stay in bed for another. After that, we will venture to rescue Boots."

"Three days?" Gregor asked in shock. "How have you kept that from Kord?"

"You died," Luxa said coolly. "While we were torturing you. Unfortunately, you did not divulge who sent you, if anyone did. In addition, for some strange reason, all line to the Fount are dead. There is no way for Kord to contact whoever holds Boots to tell them you are dead." Gregor considered that for a moment, then nodded.

"What do you need to know?" He asked.

"Where is she? What kind of defenses are there?" Ripred asked.

"She's in Kord's mansion. That's where we both have been all this time. I remember her being on a high floor; I'd know it if I saw it. There are guards, highly trained. Scouts. They aren't very hard to beat, but there's a lot of them." Ripred's eyebrow raised.

"You've tried to escape before," he said. Gregor laughed mirthlessly.

"Of course. I stopped after awhile, though." Luxa's eyes narrowed.

"Why is that?" She asked. Gregor noticed her look.

"Because it wasn't worth the trouble. I never got far, and it never made things better." He explained in a quiet tone. Ripred nodded.

"Well then. I'm tired. I'm going to bed. Howard, you should too. You've been up for hours. Oh, and Luxa, I was sent down here to tell you that you're needed in the war room." Ripred stretched, bopped Gregor on the head with his tail, and left the room. Howard murmured a word of goodbye with a yawn, and left. Luxa hugged Gregor again and left. Only Ares was left.

"So…" Ares said. Gregor turned and looked at him. "W-what exactly happened?" Gregor sighed.

"I don't really know the beginning, Ares, if that's what you mean." Ares shook his head.

"No. Just… in general." He explained. Gregor sighed. "I mean… What…. Did they do to you?" That was a terrible way to word it. Gregor smiled slightly, and shook his head.

"I don't want to talk about it," he said quietly. "I'm sorry." Ares shook his head quickly.

"No. I am sorry. That was a foolish thing to ask." Gregor hugged his legs, his forehead against his knees, and thought about the question for a second.

"I… remember it being dark a lot." He started quietly. "Being in pain. Something was always broken. An arm or a leg. And the way I got so good at fighting was because I had to fight anyway. With the breaks and cuts." He felt himself slide back, away from the warmth of the room to the dark, cold fear of the dungeons, and felt himself tremble violently.

Ares hesitantly wrapped a wing around him. Gregor leaned slightly against him.

"I… I'm scared." Gregor stammered softly.

"I know."

"But… don't tell anyone. I mean, they don't have to know."

"I know."

Gregor swallowed, and pressed his forehead to Ares shoulder. "I missed you." Ares smiled, and hugged him.

"I missed you too, Gregor."

**DAWWWWW.**

**If you pay one dollar, you can give Greggy a hug.**

**Greggy: I swear, if you call me Greggy one more time...**


	4. Chapter 4

**Yay! I tried some humor in this. Again, thank you both for your comments. **

**My stupid computer has some kind of virus, so I have to write this on my mom's laptop, which is retarded. Hopefully the scan I started up works, and my computer doesn't turn off before it's done. (Stupid, back-stabbing PC)**

Luxa stared dumbly at the red silk garment in her hands, turned to Gregor and said, "Where is the rest of it?"

After five days, Gregor was given permission from Howard to get up out of bed. The ex-assassin had immediately went to work on thinking of a way to get in without causing trouble. Luxa had made it known that she would be forced to leave that night, though she had been vague on where.

Gregor had come up with a plan. And, judging from the tiny silk sheathes in Luxa and Stellovet's hands, not a very good one.

Gregor grinned. "That's it."

"Oh, come on now, Greggy." Max said slyly. "Show her the rest of it."

Maxine "Max" Valerian was a friend of Gregor's who was also from the dungeons of Kord's mansion. She had been here to kill Luxa, should Gregor fail. However, after Gregor called her in and explained, she was all too willing to help with the break in.

Unfortunately for the girls of the group, it appeared that Max wasn't an ordinary assassin. She specialized in seduction. Which, apparently, had a great deal to do with the plan.

Gregor nodded formally, then pulled out two pairs of tie-up sandals and two steel head-dresses from a pack that Max had brought. Then he pulled out two small objects made of leather and steel.

Collars.

Stellovet shook her head. "This is not what I signed up for, Overlander. And how do we know this plan will even work?"

"Oh, it will _so _work." Max assured her. "There are plenty of pleasure slaves coming in and out of Kord's mansion. One or two more will make no difference."

Luxa held the dress at arms length to get a better look. It was a red silk sheath, with little red silk straps to hold it up. The hem would fall to the tops of her thighs, if she was lucky.

She felt her cheeks begin to warm as she thought of what she would look like in this. Gregor noticed, and smiled slightly.

"You don't have to go, Luxa, Stellovet. You've already helped a lot." He said. Luxa blinked.

"No, Gregor. We shall help. Will we not, Stellovet?" Luxa looked at Stellovet mischievously. Stellovet stared for a second, then shrugged.

"Of course. I am always happy to serve the crown," she said coolly. Gregor shrugged.

"Alright. Then you all should probably get ready. I'll leave." He said. Max shooed him out, then turned to Luxa and Stellovet, grinning.

"Oooh, you two have sooo much potential. Alright. We shall take a bath, then I will give you both a makeover!"

--

Gregor sat down next to Ripred silently. The old rat glanced at him, then continued to look at the floor.

"So…" The rat muttered awkwardly.

"So."

"Uh… Sorry about the whole… Back thing." Ripred said slowly. Gregor blinked slowly at the rat, then laughed.

"Yeah. Sorry about the whole," he eyed the line of stitches on the rats stomach. "belly thing."

They both chuckled. Ripred stretched and said conversationally, "You've gotten very good, Gregor."

"Yeah? That's great." Ripred blinked in shock at the bitterness in the man's voice, and looked at him. The man was glaring at his hands, pain in his eyes.

"Ah. I shouldn't have mentioned it," Ripred said softly. "No Rager really likes to talk about how they became one. It makes them remember bad things." Gregor shot him a grateful look, and nodded.

"So. What's been happening while I was gone?" Gregor asked.

"Well, Vikus died about a year after the War of Time. Complications with his stroke." Gregor sighed sadly. "Luxa became queen, obviously. And Stellovet is the lead General." Gregor laughed.

"Yeah. How'd that happen?" He asked.

"She was the best for the job. She and Luxa got over their occasional bouts of immaturity, they got along rather well. There are still some rebellious groups here and there, with the rat and the humans, but Luxa and I have managed to push them back rather well." The rat appraised the young ex-assassin frankly. "Obviously not well enough, of course." The corner of Gregor's mouth twitched in a brief smile.

"Obviously."

The two Ragers shared a grin. Then Ripred asked, "What's with that chick you called in?"

"Max? She's a friend of mine. We both have family being held hostage by Kord. She's a courtesan. She meets up with her target, gets into their house, and…" He made swift cutting motion over his throat. Ripred's eyebrows shot up.

"She kills them? _Then_?" He asked incredulously. Gregor's mouth twitched.

"Either that, or it was really amazing sex." He said seriously. Ripred blinked, then burst out laughing. Gregor grinned, shaking his head.

Then Luxa's sheepish voice came from behind the door.

"Gregor… I do not feel entirely comfortable in this," Luxa muttered. Gregor blinked.

"Well, you'll only be in it for the night. What does it look like?"

Luxa, Stellovet and Max all walked into the room. Gregor felt blood rush to his face, and glanced at Ripred. The rat's jaw dropped.

Gregor coughed. "T-that's very, very nice," he stammered. Luxa tugged at the hem of the dress, which, as foreseen, stopped at the top of her thigh. It was the same with all of the dresses. Stellovet's silk dress was blue, and she didn't seem uncomfortable in the least. Max's was a light pink, and skipped over to Gregor, shoving Luxa playfully along.

"Aw, thank you, Gregor. I worked very hard on them." She smiled cheerfully at Gregor, who continued to gape at Luxa, who blushed furiously. The courtesan looked from the man to the woman, then laughed wickedly. "Oh! Oh, that's just precious!" Gregor glared at her angrily, which only set her off more. Luxa blushed a deep crimson, and glared at the taller woman. Stellovet smirked.

"So," Ripred choked out. "What's the plan?" Gregor tore his eyes from Luxa and coughed.

"Oh, er… Well, it's fairly simple," he said. Max sat next to him and kind of leaned against him, resting her hands on his shoulder, then resting her chin on her hands. The man faltered, blushing furiously. "Uh, Max? W-would you please…?" Max laughed gaily, but didn't move. "Well, we're going to walk in. I'll lead the girls in; it won't be hard. Ripred and the bats will go around the back."

"Why can't everyone go around the back?" Stellovet asked suspiciously.

"We're a distraction." Gregor said simply. "We go in, meet up with the fliers and Ripred on the roof with Boots and Nat-"

"Who is 'Nat'?" Luxa asked.

"Max's brother. He serves the same purpose as Boots." Gregor explained. They all nodded. "And, well, that's it. As long as we're careful, this shouldn't be too hard. I know my way around well enough." They all nodded.

"Then we shall leave within the hour." Luxa said with finality.

**I'll post another later.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Again, thanks you two, for your reviews. **

**I hope this is good. It's a bit iffy, I think. I hope you all like it!**

Under normal circumstances, it would be near impossible to simply walk right into the mansion of the Fount ambassador without drawing suspicion. Apparently, with the right clothing and the right person walking next to you, it was quite simple.

Ares, Aurora and Ripred had gone around back while Gregor, Luxa, Stellovet, and Max walked down the street. Max had shown Luxa and Stellovet how to walk the way you were supposed to, if you were devoted to pleasure. So they walked in single file, with Gregor in the front, then Max, Stellovet, and Luxa in the back. Now, however, Luxa, Stellovet and Max wore cloths over their faces, to hide their identities, and Gregor wore standard Regalian armor. They continued down the barren roads of the Fount, with a few people outside, mostly on business that wouldn't be lawful.

Luxa felt many eyes on her as she walked down the street. She didn't really know how to feel about the strange new attention she was getting, but Stellovet, by the look on her face, took it in stride.

As they approached the mansion, the guard outside called, "Fade! I heard you had perished!" Gregor stiffened for a split second, but then relaxed.

"Rumors, my friend. Just rumors. And you?"

"I am lively enough," the man said. Then he looked around Gregor, to Max, Luxa and Stellovet. "Are these the new ones?" He asked bluntly. Gregor glanced back at the three of them, then nodded. The guard appraised them frankly.

"They have been brought for the celebration." Gregor said. The guard blinked.

"Celebration? For what?" He asked blankly.

"A job well done," the ex-assassin said pointedly with a rather blinding smile. The guard gasped, then grinned, and thumped Gregor on the back roughly.

"Well done, lad! Alright then! Off you go!" The guard cheerfully shooed the group in. Gregor noted with distaste the inappropriate slap the guard gave Luxa, and made a mental note to get him back.

Gregor lead them quickly through the halls, speaking softly. "They are on the top floor. We must get there quickly, and try not to attract attention."

Stellovet made a choking sound, and Luxa looked incredulously at the clothing they were all wearing.

"Well… not bad attention." Luxa scowled.

Suddenly, there was the sharp echo of heels on stone, and a beautiful woman approached Gregor. She held herself haughtily, and she was followed by a burly guard who kept his hand on the hilt of his sword. Luxa recognized her to be Kord's wife, Odianna. Gregor and Max tensed as she walked up, a small smile on her face.

"Hello, dear," she said sweetly to Gregor. Then she eyed the three women suspiciously. "Who are _these_?"

"They are here for the celebration." Gregor said blithely. Luxa fought to keep acting sensually relaxed, even though the looks Odianna were giving her made her uncomfortable.

Suddenly, Odianna reached out and yanked the cloth from across Stellovet's face. She hissed in recognition. The guard unsheathed his sword with a snarl. Gregor's eyes narrowed, and drew his sword too. Luxa saw her friends pupils dilate as Stellovet slammed the hilt of her dagger against the back of Odianna's head, knocking her out. Then she whirled her blade around, slicing at the guard's throat.

"NO! Wait!" Gregor cried sharply, but Stellovet's blade sunk into the mans throat before he even got the first word out. The man feel with a wet choking sound. "You _idiot_!" Gregor hissed. Stellovet turned and glared.

"What?" She snapped.

"We could have broken his neck and splashed some wine on him and no one would have noticed until he started to bloat!" Gregor said angrily. Stellovet glared.

"Now is not the time, you two!" Luxa snapped. "It is too late to change anything! We will do the best we can and be quick." Gregor glanced at Luxa, and she saw his face soften a little.

"Yeah, fine." He said shortly. "Stellovet, put Lady Odianna in the closet. We'll get this," he nudged the body dispassionately with his foot. "In that room over there. Try and cover up the blood and such." He glared again at Stellovet. Luxa rolled her eyes exasperatedly.

They put Odianna in the closet, and did the best they could with the guard's body, though it would be obvious that he was dead if one looked hard enough.

They rushed up the stairs, keeping their blades drawn. Then, off in the distance, they heard fanfare. Gregor stopped and went to a window, then, after a few moment, snarled a line of curses.

"What?" Stellovet asked. Gregor turned, his face pale.

"Kord's here."

There was a shocked silence. Then Luxa took charge.

"Let us move! Gregor! You and I shall go get Boots. Stellovet, go with Max and find Nat. Now!" Stellovet and Max raced up the stairs.

Gregor kept staring out the window, trembling violently.

"Gregor? Come on." Luxa whispered. He didn't respond. She reached over and took his hand, gently leading him away from the window. "Gregor? Where is Boots?" Gregor took a deep breath, then lead Luxa up another flight of stairs.

They stopped outside a solid stone door. Gregor opened the door quickly, walking in, Luxa close behind.

A young woman sat regally on an ornate chair. She, like Odianna, wore a rich gown and jewelry. She however, unlike any Underland woman, was dark of hair, which fell in thick ringlets down her back. Her heart-shaped face was pale, and her dark brown eyes stood out sharply.

Her hard gaze faltered when Gregor walked in. She gasped, jumped up and ran over, wrapping her arms around him. Luxa hadn't really realized how strong Gregor was until that moment, when he lifted the young woman off her feet and whirled her around in a hug.

"What are you doing here?" She asked joyfully.

"Breaking you out," the ex-assassin said. He grinned, then turned to Luxa. "This is Queen Luxa of Regalia. Luxa, you know Boots." The young woman stared dumbly at the queen, who smiled gently at her.

"Boots, we must leave quickly. Kord is coming." Boots' face hardened, and she nodded.

They ran out the door and up the stairs, meeting up with Stellovet, Max and a tall, slender young man. They all ran up the stairs.

"We're meeting Ares, Aurora and Ripred up on the roof. Damn, I hope they can carry all of us," Gregor said worriedly. Boots shrugged.

Suddenly, the sound of steel came from farther down the stairs. Gregor stopped and turned, heading back down the stairs.

"Brother!" Boots shrieked in protest. Gregor waved her off, then started back down. Boots exhaled sharply. "I swear, one of these days…" She trailed off as Ripred ran down the stairs. Her eyebrows raised sharply.

"Ripred! What are you doing here?" Stellovet snapped, panicked.

"Some guards came up about ten minutes after we got there. We've been holding them off, but you all need to hurry- Where the hell is Gregor!?" He snapped. Luxa, Stellovet, Boots, Max and Nat all pointed down the stairs. Ripred cursed, and ran down the stairs as the ring of steel on steel echoed up.

"Go on ahead!" Ripred snapped. "Gregor and I'll catch up." Luxa nodded, and the four of them ran up the stairs, and out into the open night air.

**What condition will Ares and Aurora be in? Will Ripred and Gregor make it back up? Hell, will GREGOR make it back up?**

**Do you think I did a good job with Boots?**

**Tune in somewhere in these next two days to find out the second or third to last chapter! :D**

**Depends on my mood, and whether I want to go all out with the battles and stuff. (I probably won't)**


	6. Chapter 6

**Alright everyone. This is the last one until... Maybe late Sunday, Monday at the latest. I'll be going to the Witchita Anime Con all tomorrow and the next day.**

**Yes. That's right. Gory is an anime geek. **

**Maybe I'll post my DA account and you can see the pictures I'll post. Then my friends will finally be able to see what I look like! XD**

Gregor fought furiously against the guards, blood streaming from the numerous nicks and cuts on his arms and legs. His arms trembled with exhaustion; he gritted his teeth against it and fought harder. He couldn't let them get past him, to Boots and Luxa and Stellovet and everyone.

A blur breezed past him, and then nearly half of the guards lay dead on the stone. Nearly just as quickly, Gregor slashed each of the survivors throats open.

"Ripred? What're you doing?" Gregor choked out between gasps. The rat stood ready in the narrow passage of the spiral staircase.

"Helping you. Come on, Kid. We need to get up to the roof. The bats can carry us out of here. That sister of yours is slight enough." Gregor sighed with relief, and started up the stairs, Ripred close behind.

--

Luxa breathed in the fresh air of outside, the others gasping for breath behind her. Ares and Aurora were waiting a few meters away, hurt in a few places, but they didn't seem to be hurt too badly.

Ares stared at Boots for a second, then said cautiously, "Do you remember me?" Boots frowned, then nodded.

"Kind of. Bits and pieces. But Gregor has told me a great deal of you. Of all of you." Luxa smiled slightly, then motioned for her to get on Ares. "But what about Brother and that rat?" Boots asked, aghast.

"Gregor and Ripred can take care of themselves." Stellovet assured her. Boots hesitated, then sighed.

"Yes, you are right." Then she stared at the floor. "Do you know what they did to him?" Luxa and Ares looked up sharply.

"I do not." Luxa said. "Do you know?"

"Yes. He told me, before he gave up," the young lady said softly. "They _made _him fight. He never wanted to, but they made him. Usually something was hurt. An arm or his ribs. They almost always made him fight when he was injured." She winced. "He… he is good at pushing pain back. Ignoring it. That was the point." Luxa felt the blood rush from her face.

"I did not really understand at first." Boots continued. "Why he was so sad, and why he was so relieved when he got to visit. He actually cried sometimes." She shook her head, her dark curls covering her face, much like how Gregor's covered his when she saw him just a few days ago. "But after a few years, I figured it out. I was a hostage. If he ever fought back, or tried to escape, I'd get hurt. Or killed." Her shoulders tensed. "I… was not mistreated. I was taught math and how to read and write. I wasn't abused." Her lips trembled. "But he was. So that I would not."

Luxa swallowed with difficulty. Hesitantly, she walked over and placed a hand on Boots' shoulder. Boots shook her head.

"You should go check on Brother and Ripred. They could be hurt." She shrugged off Luxa's hand and walked away. Luxa nodded at her back, and made for the door.

At that moment, Ripred lunged out, startling them all. And Gregor wasn't behind him.

"Where is he?!" Boots screamed, panicked.

"He had a personal engagement." Ripred said tensely. "He'll be here shortly."

Luxa drew her sword and ran down the stairs, heedless of Ripred's, "I wouldn't."

The Queen turned a few spirals before reaching the fight.

Kord swung drunkenly, grazing Gregor's arm. The injured man looked exhausted as he parried another clumsy thrust. His eyes were glazed over with pain, and his legs trembled. Luxa made to go to him.

Kord's feverish gaze went to her, and he laughed like a maniac.

"What is this, Gregor?" He said sneeringly. "Your woman? The Queen? I should have known." Before Gregor could stop him, Kord slammed his fist into the young mans face, sending him harshly into the stone wall, and attacked Luxa.

Inexperienced as Kord was in combat, Luxa had a tough time stopping the blows. They took too much strength to hold back, and there was no time to recover. Soon, she too was injured in several places, and things started getting fuzzy. Kord, sensing her weakness, shoved her backwards, and held his sword high, ready to cut her head off.

--

Boots fidgeted.

"They should not be taking this long," she insisted. "Should we not go help?"

"I agree." Ares said, turning to Ripred, who, because of his experience, was the current leader.

"Oh? Boots, are you good at combat?" The rat asked casually. The dark haired woman shrugged.

"I was taught how to fight. I am not as good as my brother, but I can hold my own."

"Uh-huh. And Ares? What do you plan on doing in there? You can't open your wings; you'll barely fit with them closed. It's that narrow. I can go down there, but if you get attacked, who's going to protect you? I gave my word to Gregor that I'd make sure none of you got hurt, and I'm not the kind to go back on my promises."

"If Gregor cannot fend them off, I have not a chance." Stellovet said. "I have seen his ability, and it far out does my own. I am sure it is the same for our friends." She glanced at Max and her brother, who both nodded reluctantly.

"Or," Boots snarled. "You all are just too cowardly to go down there and try to help." Stellovet's eyes narrowed dangerously, as did Ripred's, but Max seemed to understand.

"Now, now, Dear," she said softly, walking up to her. "I know that it may seem that way. But really, there is nothing we can do. We would be more of a hindrance than an asset, especially me and Nat." She gave Boots a quick hug. "It will be alright, Dear. Your brother is strong. I do not know anyone else who could have gone through the things he has and not be fragile as glass."

Boots' eyes filled with tears. "He is strong." She said, more to convince herself than replying to Max. Max nodded.

"I am sure he is coming up the stairs right now."

--

Gregor feel to his knees as blood spurted from his arm. The blow was so monumental, so horrific, that it knocked his breath right out of him.

He swallowed, closing his eyes for a second, pushing the crippling pain to the back of his head.

_Now isn't the time for that_, he thought to himself. _Cry later, pass out later, now isn't the time for that_.

The grip on his sword tightened, and he opened his eyes, feeling the Rager sensations take over. He stood straight, the pain all but numbed.

The Fount ambassador stumbled back in shock, then roared with rage and raised his sword again.

With almost contemptuous ease, Gregor sliced up, not only knocking the sword from Kord's grasp, but effectively cutting him in two.

Luxa gasped as the body fell to the ground.

Gregor felt exhaustion take over, finally. He fell to his knees again, his chin hitting his chest. His arms and legs trembled violently as Luxa gently lifted him up, letting him lean on her, his arm slung over her shoulder as they walked up the stairs, to the others.

**One more. I decided not to draw it out. **


	7. Chapter 7

_Gregor wandered through the dark hallways, strangely out of breath. He wasn't running, nor did he remember running. _

_The walls around him were lined with doors. Many different kinds of doors too. Some were stone, others wood. All different sizes and shapes._

"_Which will you choose, Gregor?" A deep, strange, crystalline voice asked, its question echoing through his head. "You will have to answer at some point."_

"_Who are you?" He asked. His voice came out deep and flat. No echo. It simply was, then disappeared. _

"_You." The voice said simply._

_Suddenly, the dark hallway became a ledge made of stone. It was thin, just wide enough for him to walk on, just thick enough to hold his weight. Thick, dark liquid flowed sluggishly in the opposite direction of where he was going. He turned, looking down into the deep, dark depths on either side of him. _

_There was a soft rushing sound, like a river. Moans broke out, and screams like those of someone a second from death echoed up from below. Gregor blinked emotionlessly, and walked on. _

_He was wearing odd armor; it was spikier than usual. And black and red. That wasn't usual either. _

_Suddenly, his instincts screamed at him to run. His stomach dropped._

"_Run, Gregor." The deep, crystal voice called out. "Run, Bloodspawn." _

_Bloodspawn?_

_He ran. _

_Cries of agony and terror echoed loudly through the empty space. He stopped, clapping his hands over his ears, squeezing his eyes shut. Too loud; too loud._

"_RUN!" The crystal voice snapped. Gregor shook his head desperately, then everything got colder. He opened his eyes._

_He was sitting on the top of a ruin. Taking a closer look at it, it was a chunk of the roof of the Regalian palace. He turned, tears filling his eyes. Ruins of houses and building were scattered about aimlessly, surrounded by a sea of black. _

_A small sound came from behind him, and he saw ripples. He turned, searching. There was someone else there?_

_His eyes fell on the bodies. A black bat; a girl with thick dark curls…_

_A woman wearing a crown. _

_He screamed._

_--_

He woke up screaming.

No one was in the room. He was alone, and his scream echoed off the walls, reminding him all too much of the screams in his dream.

He gasped for air, clutching at his chest, sobbing weakly. A nightmare, he thought. Just a nightmare.

Then why did it seem to him like so much more?

He got up, his legs shaking. Poking his head out the door to check if anyone was coming, he rushed down the hall.

It must have been when everyone was asleep, for there were hardly any torches lit. Again, it reminded him of his nightmare, and he hurried down the halls quicker.

He wandered around with no clear destination. He, after some time, ended up in front of a door which he recognized as Luxa's. Hesitantly, he knocked on it.

After a minute or so, the door opened. Luxa stared in shock at him, her hair mussed, wearing a thin nightgown.

"Gregor!" She gasped. "You have awakened!"

"Yeah," he said. "I was rudely awakened." Luxa blinked.

"By what?" She asked, concerned. "You look so pale. Was it a nightmare?"

Gregor squirmed. "Yeah. Pretty bad." Luxa took hold of Gregor's hand and led him into the living room.

"Wait here," she said, plopping him down on the couch. He waited patiently as clinks and clanks echoed from the kitchen. Then Luxa returned, she held two cups of tea. "Tell me about it." She said seriously, handing him a cup.

"Uh… What's this made of?" Gregor asked, peering into the cup. "There's no plants down here." Luxa's eyes narrowed. Gregor sighed and relayed the story.

"That is horrible!" Luxa said softly. "And you believe this means something."

"Yes. Very much so." Gregor said, sipping his tea calmly. Or at least, he pretended to be calm.

"… Do you think… It was a vision of the future?" Luxa asked slowly. "Like Sandwich or Narissa?"

Gregor didn't say anything at first, though there was a sliver of ice in his heart at the thought. Then he placed the cup down and looked at Luxa full in the face. "It might have been. And… if that is the case, then I must leave. By myself." Luxa froze. Gregor watched her reaction carefully.

"No." The queen said simply.

"Beg your pardon?" The man asked incredulously. Luxa held her head high.

"No. As queen, I forbid you from leaving."

"You can't _forbid _me to do anything!" Gregor said angrily. "I will leave if I so wish!"

"You will not!" Luxa snapped. "You will stay."

"You over-estimate the amount of command you have, Your _Highness_," Gregor snapped. "You have no power over me." He had no idea why this was making him so mad, but it did.

Luxa stared at him for a second. Then she stood straight and tall. Or as tall as she could.

"Gregor," she hissed softly. "You will not leave, because you will stay and be my guard." Gregor blinked in shock.

"W-what?" He stammered.

"You have been out for awhile, Gregor," she said calmly. "I have been thinking about it. You must stay and protect me. If Kord could so easily send an assassin to destroy me, just think of what the other, more influential powers could send." Gregor thought about it, and the though made him cringe.

"You can take care of yourself." He said. "I have full confidence in you."

"Gregor, damn it, you will stay!" And with a furious look on her face, she leaned over and kissed him.

Gregor blinked in shock. That wasn't what he expected… Not at all.

Normally, it's not good to go to sleep angry. But in this case…

Gregor gave up. Curse human libido.

He returned the kiss with fervor, gently pushing her back onto the couch. She moaned as his mouth moved to her neck. Then he whispered roughly, "Remember this moment. If you die… this is why." Luxa laughed as his hand reached over to touch her face. She didn't see it, but a soft, gentle smile touched his lips as he cupped her cheek in his calloused hand.

If he was there to protect her, maybe she'd be safe.

Then the thought of her body floating in the sea of black came roaring back to him. Cold raced through his veins…

Then she kissed him again, and the thought disappeared. Everything disappeared. An irrational thought entered his mind as she half-dragged him to the bedroom.

"_Forget it. I'll deal with it when I deal with it"_

**(hisssssssss) Bad! BAAAAD!**

**I will redo this if you want me to. Either way, I'll continue with the next thing. "Bloodspawn Chronicles", the origin of the dream. That's probably the best part.**

**It was good for awhile, but it lost it when he went to see Luxa, I think. **

**Oh my god, I honestly hate this. Really a lot!!**

**Of course, I have a low opinion of my work, so... If you like it... Good for you. If you don't, I'll redo it as soon as I can. **

**Luxa's OOC. I realize this. **

**Gregor was out for about a week.**

**(reads again) I'd redo it now, but I must sleep! I'll listen to how people like it, and work on stuff tomorrow. But right now, I can barely think, I'm so tired. Which probably explains this. (jerks thumb at above chapter)**


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